Support Hub for Victims of Terrorism Opens on 1 June
After a terrorist attack, the hardest part is often what comes next. Shock, grief, paperwork and practical problems can arrive all at once, and people are too often left trying to work out which service to call first. The Home Office says the new Support Hub for Victims of Terrorism, opened on 1 June, is meant to change that. Run as a 24-hour service, the hub is designed for victims, survivors and families affected by terrorism at any stage of recovery. That matters because some people need help immediately, while others may not reach out until months or even years later.
According to the government, the hub gives people one clear starting point: the Support Hub for Victims of Terrorism website or the free helpline on 08 08 16 89 111. From there, each person can be given a single point of contact instead of being passed between separate services. **What this means for you** is simple. If you have been affected by a terrorist incident, you should not have to repeat your story from the beginning every time you ask for help. The aim is a more joined-up service, with personalised support plans built around what you need, when you need it.
The service is being delivered by Victim Support in partnership with the Peace Collective and West London NHS Trust. That mix matters. Victim Support brings experience in practical and emotional help, the Peace Collective works closely with victims and survivors, and West London NHS Trust leads the National Psychology Service for Victims and Survivors of Terror. Taken together, the model tries to answer a long-standing problem. Security Minister Dan Jarvis said victims and survivors have spent too long dealing with support that felt complicated and fragmented. The new hub is supposed to bring emotional help, practical guidance, dedicated caseworkers and personalised plans into one place.
If you are wondering what 'trauma-informed' support actually means, it is worth putting it in plain English. It means staff are trained to understand that trauma can affect memory, trust, sleep, confidence and daily life, and that people may need different kinds of care at different times. The hub says it can offer immediate emotional reassurance, practical support and, where needed, mental health assessments and specialist psychological care. It also includes specially trained caseworkers for children and young people, which matters because younger survivors may show distress in ways adults do not always spot straight away.
Much of this change exists because victims and survivors kept pressing for something better. Cheryl Stollery, whose husband John was killed in the Sousse, Tunisia attack on 26 June 2015, has spent years calling for more centralised support, especially for families dealing with attacks overseas. She welcomed the hub as a source of clearer guidance and renewed hope. Westminster Bridge survivor Travis Frain has also warned that people can be pushed from service to service while their condition worsens and public attention moves on. His point is one we should sit with. Good intentions are not enough on their own; support only works if people can actually reach it, trust it and keep using it over time.
The organisations behind the hub say support should not end when the headlines fade. William Roberts of the Peace Collective said people's needs can shift over the years, sometimes long after the original attack. Maria O'Brien of West London NHS Trust said the aim is to bring specialist mental health knowledge to people across the country, not only to those closest to major city services. There is also a wider effort to recognise victims and survivors publicly. The Home Office says the UK will mark its first national day for victims and survivors of terrorism on 21 August, with a central London event and a livestream. The day is intended both to remember those killed and to recognise the people whose lives have been permanently changed. People are being encouraged to mark it in whatever way feels meaningful, whether quietly at home, with loved ones or in local communities.
This is why the launch matters beyond one new website or phone line. Terrorism does not only harm people in the moment; it can disrupt family life, work, study, confidence and mental health for years. A single service cannot fix all of that, but it can make the first steps less isolating and less confusing. If you or someone you know has been affected, the hub can be reached through the Support Hub for Victims of Terrorism website or by calling 08 08 16 89 111. The bigger test will come later: whether survivors feel listened to, believed and supported in a way that lasts.